Whats a good starter 50cc Scooter please....

AdrianC

A 125cc should hit 60-70mph, wringing it.
A 50cc is legally capped at 30mph.

The CBT "gets you used to it" off the road before you're legally allowed on the road. Depending on who owns this "back car park", and the access to it, it is very likely to be regarded as road when it comes to licence/insurance/etc...

truewraith121

AdrianC said:

Why not just get an eBike?

Many 50cc scooters are pretty much disposable rubbish, priced down to a point at which they can be beaten to death by a 16yo and pretty much discarded on their 17th b'day when they can get a car or 125 licence.

It's not as if you're going to be covering large distances on one - the speed difference won't be particularly relevant, and you can treat one as a bicycle instead of having to treat it as a motorcycle.

after looking into those Ebikes i had no idea they was that cool lol and had no idea they went 28mph, so doing some research on those as well as some of the good brands you all recommend on scooters and the fact that 125cc are better and more safer than 50cc, but yet to find anything on a fully electric scooter but will keep looking. Also the CBT sounds simple is it just on the course doing to figure 8 and turns and stops or is the road part needed for the 125cc road part? Also my provisional is based on driving a car and on the back shows scooters so guess theres only 1 card like this...

truewraith121

thanks so much for this help its been amazing and i have so much to research etc

truewraith121

walwyn1978 said:

Another vote for 125 not 50 as well, you’ll be grateful for that power as it stops lorries overtaking you on the dual carriageway which on a 50cc going flat out at 30 odd mph is properly scary. At that price point used Honda or Yamaha is the sweet spot and you’ll get more back when you sell it on. 

Don’t forget to budget for decent gloves - not just market stall cloth gloves but proper riding gloves with protection built in. You WILL come off at some stage when you’re starting out and decent gloves mean you’re far less likely to damage your hands when you do. Ignore anyone who says you don’t have to have them. Don’t buy second hand helmets - you’ve no idea how they’ve been treated and whether the previous owner has dropped them on the floor or come off the bike and cracked his head which could have caused damage to the helmet inner and made it less safe. 

i totally understand and that is some very valuable information and i fully appreciate you telling me this thank you. also im 38 and didnt wanna say my age group as i thought i would look stupid having never ridden a scooter and only just learning to drive a car later on this year as it was never needed before till now

truewraith121

AdrianC said:

A 125cc should hit 60-70mph, wringing it.
A 50cc is legally capped at 30mph.

The CBT "gets you used to it" off the road before you're legally allowed on the road. Depending on who owns this "back car park", and the access to it, it is very likely to be regarded as road when it comes to licence/insurance/etc...

thanks for that, and yeah good to know, as i didnt think of that with it being just a public car park, jeez i know nothing on this subject lol

onlyfoolsandparking

AdrianC said:

A 125cc should hit 60-70mph, wringing it.
A 50cc is legally capped at 30mph.

The CBT "gets you used to it" off the road before you're legally allowed on the road. Depending on who owns this "back car park", and the access to it, it is very likely to be regarded as road when it comes to licence/insurance/etc...

How times have changed, my 1983 Yamaha RD125LC did 95mph!!!!! of course I blew it up eventually 

Goudy

Find your local Motorcycle Training School
https://www.gov.uk/find-motorcycle-training
and talk to them about what you need and the best way to get there.

Being an older git, I'm not sure what licenses are needed these days, I think you used to be able to ride a 50 on a car licence but need to add a motorcycle provisional for a 125cc and a CBT for all classes is needed? But things have likely changed.

You don't need to rush out and spend on a scooter yet, you can sort your CBT and the training school usually hire out bikes and scooters by the day while you gain a bit of experience and perhaps decide if a 50cc or 125cc is best.

While you're doing the CBT talk to the instructors, they will be more clued up on what makes and models are worth the effort and cash, they'll probably know of bikes and scooters other learners are moving on once they've passed there tests as well.

The CBT is/was in three sections, a bit of class room stuff on safety, an off road section where you learn and practice maneuvers around a car park and if the instructors are happy with that, an on road bit at the end.
It's an assessment rather than a test, so it's all pretty relaxed and good instructors will spot where you need help and coax you through. 

I got to agree with you Onlyfools, there was some great bikes about in that era, I had a '84 RD125LC and I thought that went like stink, that was until I swapped it for a RGV250 and first hit the 8000rpm power band. The smell of burnt two stroke oil and my own poo has never left me!

walwyn1978

If you passed your test before 2001 you can ride a 50cc without L plates on a car licence with no training, because I did. However, that doesn’t mean you SHOULD. If you’ve never done any biking before the CBT day even if you end up on a 50 is worth it in terms of stuff like road awareness etc 

I know that’s not relevant to the OP but sticking it in for anyone else who comes across this thread who it might be relevant to 

GunJack

a provisional license will cover you for 125s - basically it covers you as a learner on classes you're eligible for. I know 'coz I phoned DVLA to check on our youngest's before he got the 125.

Coveredinbees!!!!

Some places will loan (rent) you a bike to do CBT, don't for the love god get a moped if you don't have to, you will regret it. The old 2 strokes did go like stink when 'adjusted' but drank fuel and needed lots of maintenance, you will be wanting a boring 4 stroke, I used to get 100mpg out of mine.  You can get a twist and go or a geared 'proper' bike depending on what you want but if you pass your test on a twist and go you can't ride a geared bike, same with passing your car test in an auto.